Dan Streetman is co-owner of that groovy garage on Cole that sells the scrumptious Bird and Bear Coffee (his twin girls are nicknamed “Little Bird” and “Little Bear”). We stopped by recently to do a little video interview and see what Bird and Bear is all about.
DS: Basically I just started selling my own coffee beans during the pandemic. We used to roast here in the garage but now over in Oakland on a commercial machine. I was a coffee buyer for over 10 years. I focused on buying from different families and farms I visited over the years.
I grew up in Texas and then moved to New York. I started working as a barista in college and then kind of fell into it. Met my wife and came out here to be closer to her parents.
There’s a lot of foot traffic on Cole Street, people coming down from the train or coming up from Haight, so we get a lot of visitors.
HSV: What is it about coffee that’s kept you enticed all these years?
DS: The people. I got into coffee because of the flavors, but now that I’ve been traveling all over the world and getting to meet different people, it’s been really cool to make friends, like my buddy Panchito [points to bag of coffee named Honduras Panchito Villeda] and watch his kids grow up.
HSV: Wow, Honduras? Exotic!
DS: It is! Getting to travel to Ethiopia and Korea and all these different places for coffee is pretty special.
HSV: And who’s this over here?
DS: This is Aria, one of our team members.
HSV: What do you like about working here?
Aria: I like the community. I was so surprised when I started working, everyone was familiar with everyone. And when Dan and Carson are down here, they always have people come into the garage and they chat. There’s just this really nice community atmosphere.
HSV: I feel like the community is coming back.
DS: Yes! The thing about the pandemic was that people were in their neighborhoods and they felt the need to connect in their local community.
HSV: Right! Like Sandy’s, the muffaletta place. They were selling mufalettas out of their garage. Have you been there yet?
DS: I have! It’ SO good!
HSV: Shoutout to Peterson! We love ya’ll! I love that place. It’s got that good New Orleans vibe. What would you like to say to the Haight community?
DS: Keep it mellow [holds up peace sign]
HSV: [To Aria] Is he never not mellow?
A: He’s always mellow! [laughter]
